


Synchronized Breathing

by anysin



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Angst, Established Relationship, Goodbyes, Implied/Referenced death in progress, M/M, Triangle Bill Cipher
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-05
Updated: 2019-01-05
Packaged: 2019-10-04 21:17:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 441
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17312027
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anysin/pseuds/anysin
Summary: Bill goes to say his goodbyes as Modoc lights himself on fire.





	Synchronized Breathing

**Author's Note:**

> Modoc is a character referred to in Journal 3, a Native American shaman who got involved with Bill. He built up a wooden portal for him, which he then burned up along with himself when he realized what Bill really was. Before that, he also wrote the warning about Bill to the cave well, as well as instructions for how to summon him. 
> 
> In his Reddit AMA, Bill describes Modoc as a fun guy, which is frankly one of the nicest things he has ever said about a human, and while he does diss Modoc for being a drama queen later on, this lead to me headcanoning him and Bill as lovers. One thing led to another at my Tumblr and this is how this little story was born.

As Modoc lies dying, Bill slips into his mind.

The landscape of Modoc’s mind has always been a forest; now, it’s a dark, blank space, and Modoc drifts limp within it. Bill floats over to him and takes him into his arms, waiting for him to open his eyes.

When Modoc’s eyes finally open, he surprises Bill by smiling to him.

“How fitting that you should be here, seeing me to afterlife.”

Modoc closes his eyes, shaking all over. Bill thinks of how Modoc is in real life right now, crumpled down on the forest floor and twitching as he burns; it makes him sneer, his arms tightening around Modoc’s body in the Mindscape.

“You big fucking idiot,” he says. “Do you think this will help? I’ll just find another way to get into your world! And don’t think death is any kind of a get-out-of-jail-free card, mister, I-”

Modoc has the nerve to laugh at him.

“I will miss this, never knowing what you’re talking about.” He opens his eyes again, meeting Bill’s. Bill is stunned to see that there is still fondness there, plenty of it. So much Bill could drown in it. “Despite everything, I’m glad I knew you.”

He could hurt Modoc now, say that he regrets wasting all this time on him for nothing.

Bill swaps his eye into a mouth instead, kissing Modoc all over his stupid face. The darkness around them seems to be constricting and expanding now, like lungs; Bill knows it means Modoc is in his death throes, that he will soon be gone.

It makes him feel powerless, and he hates Modoc a little for making him feel that way. He hates Modoc a little bit more when the man lifts up a tired hand, resting it on Bill’s front.

“You are breathing,” Modoc says, voice full of wonder.

Bill hasn’t done that in years; physically he doesn’t need to, and it’s a rare occasion when he has to pretend it’s something he does. But now his body is heaving hard and fast from rapid, shallow breaths, like it’s having a panic attack.

It’s pathetic.

Yet, he breathes faster still when Modoc starts to get lighter in his arms, becoming less solid second by second.

“Fight it, damn it,” he says. “Don’t let some stupid fire take you down!”

Modoc laughs again. 

“It took  _you_  down, Bill. It saved this world. That’s the important part.” He brushes his hand up to Bill’s top vertex, caressing it until his hand doesn’t exist anymore.

“Modoc!” Bill grasps at him, his breaths coming out of him as sad little winces.

Modoc doesn’t exist anymore. 


End file.
